Tropicale Amissa Bongo 2021 Postponed
Remember when we had the exclusive rights to broadcast the Tropicale Amissa Bongo, Gabon’s #1 bike race, for the first time ever on TV? (To be honest, we probably could still have those rights, since they’re not exactly expensive.) That was the best, because it’s a fun race. And it’s fun to say too.
But here’s the bad news: it’s postponed due to Covid, like every other bike race on this planet. The UCI 2.1 race was originally scheduled for January 18-24, 2021, but now has no date assigned to it. Doesn’t bode well, but it’s still not officially canceled right now.
The race sent us a statement. It’s surprisingly long. We really hope they can find their place later in the UCI calendar for 2021.
Over the past decades, the sport of cycling has developed dramatically across the world, giving rise to numerous events on all continents and particularly in Africa.
Created at the initiative of the Gabonese State 15 years ago, the Tropicale Amissa Bongo has become the flagship event of African cycling by developing a concept that allows the best cyclists on the continent to compete each year against leading professionals. plan accustomed to the tournaments of the Tour de France, thanks to a race format respecting the highest standards of international organization.
Over time, the success of the different editions has reinforced the strategic and sporting choices originally desired and has brought unprecedented exposure to African cycling. The 15th edition, which took place at the start of 2020, further confirmed this essential place on the world cycling scene.
La Tropicale Amissa Bongo has become a real brand recognized by all and which now clearly identifies Gabon as a major axis of international sporting events in Africa.
But since the holding of this 15th edition, an unprecedented global situation has shaken our lives and our activities by establishing itself permanently. Today, the planetary challenge is to fight and overcome a pandemic that is weakening us all.
If the health situation in Gabon is now under control thanks to the important work of all the country’s authorities and forces, the international context and the recent development of this crisis unfortunately do not allow us to calmly consider the organization of the 16th edition of the Tropicale Amissa Bongo on its usual dates in January 2021.
In the weeks and months to come, we will remain particularly attentive to the development of the Covid-19 pandemic in order to study with the authorities, the possibility of safely organizing this 16th edition of the Tropicale Amissa Bongo which holds us so much to heart, on a more auspicious date in 2021.